Brilliant! I didn’t even know these existed. I’ll have to give them a try, assuming I can find Bird’s Custard Powder (without having to order from a company whose name begins with “A”, ends with “n”, and contains six letters).
Growing up in the 80’s I knew of 2 Canadian things, Canada Dry and Canada Life. Both were present in my house, then the 90’s Degrassi High and one of my Dublin cousins married a Canadian. They visited us and I being 11 at the time of course brought them to the pub where he asked me if I wanted a Pop, I nearly fell off the seat laughing and said oh I have a small glass of stout and then he nearly fell off in shock!
Wait what? You have an editor? Damn I need one of those, unless, um, you, um, never mind. This entire column was foreign to me but that's the point I suppose. These do sound quite delicious but I've never heard of them before. It's nice to be a virgin again, however.
I think the reason I have an editor is because I have a marvelous friend who is a stickler for grammar and punctuation. There are certain concepts I find difficult to grasp, so I am extremely grateful.
And I so get the virgin thing. I'm a good as one these days.
A Canadian based in the Bay Area, I made these for a Canada Day party a few years ago. And still have the Bird's Custard Powder in the larder to prove it. Best as a sweet break in a day of skiing, they are, as you've said, ever so rich. But tasty enough. Cold weather food. Glad your Canadian culinary education is getting there. Do tortière, rapi pie, pouding chōmeur, beavertails await? Nice piece. During this time especially, we Canadians appreciate interest and small gestures of solidarity from our longtime neighbors.
I’ve not had these bars, either! But let’s talk about that SCTV video. My goodness they all look like babies! Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis, and John Candy, but I don’t know the fourth and fifth guys.
And you know what? You aren't the last, so no need to feel slow to develop. I summoned my personal physician as soon as I finished reading the piece, and he assured me that my Nanaimo bar hymen remains intact. Which is kinda surprising, given my fondness for riding horseback and Anne Murray.
I had my first Nanaimo Bar in Nanaimo about 20 years ago despite having a Canadian nephew. He however is Quebecois and does not do Anglo. His family dessert is a Tarte au Sucre.
I am definitely not up on Canadian cuisine, as I have not heard of this. Intriguing.. Do you know what makes the Bird's custard different from other custards?
It was the first eggless custard powder (from the 1830s). Mr. Bird invented it because his wife was allergic to eggs and she loved custard. So, not only is it the first, it's the one with the sweetest back story.
Cute back story aside, that Bird's powder is one of the most vile things I've ever tasted.
I had an Anglophile client who went gaga when I made her British dishes, and I actually got rather fond of their downmarket homey desserts like Sticky Toffee Pudding, Bakewell tarts, and Banoffee Pie. Since custard is one of the easiest things in the world to make, it never occurred to me to use a mix, but it popped up so often in recipes I felt obliged to try it. It's horrible. Thin, slightly bitter, and the opposite of the kind of richness you want a comfort food bring to bring with it.
And yet, when most British people think "custard" they think "custard powder."
There are foods from my childhood that I still love which would likely horrify everyone else. I Just keep quiet about them more or less.
I don't mind Bird's Custard Powder at all. I made a non-Nanaimo batch the other night and I agree that it was too thin (I didn't find it bitter though). I just added more powder, a little extra sugar, and a splash of vanilla extract. It suited my needs, but it will never replace a proper egg yolky custard in my book either.
But it's great when I'm low on energy, which is often these days!
Brilliant! I didn’t even know these existed. I’ll have to give them a try, assuming I can find Bird’s Custard Powder (without having to order from a company whose name begins with “A”, ends with “n”, and contains six letters).
You can absolutely avoid the behemoth!
Growing up in the 80’s I knew of 2 Canadian things, Canada Dry and Canada Life. Both were present in my house, then the 90’s Degrassi High and one of my Dublin cousins married a Canadian. They visited us and I being 11 at the time of course brought them to the pub where he asked me if I wanted a Pop, I nearly fell off the seat laughing and said oh I have a small glass of stout and then he nearly fell off in shock!
I want to live your childhood.
Never had one!
They're very delicious, but very rich.
Also: very, very easy to make and do not require an oven!
Super good to know, in this heat we are not cooking anything!
I cannot blame you even one, tiny bit for that.
In my e-mail today. It must be kismet. https://www.seriouseats.com/best-nanaimo-bars-recipe-8671193?hid=7dc206f8078cf7bd68aed91f69163229e229e5c9&did=18403606-20250707&utm_source=seriouseats&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=seriouseats_newsletter&utm_content=070725&lctg=7dc206f8078cf7bd68aed91f69163229e229e5c9&lr_input=632b5c2f3ffe421875cf325e0ba21006c81b97a30f3ebf3f441cb89f6d0d39d0&utm_term=recipe-of-the-day
OMG and it's in grams, which is so much better!
Wait what? You have an editor? Damn I need one of those, unless, um, you, um, never mind. This entire column was foreign to me but that's the point I suppose. These do sound quite delicious but I've never heard of them before. It's nice to be a virgin again, however.
I think the reason I have an editor is because I have a marvelous friend who is a stickler for grammar and punctuation. There are certain concepts I find difficult to grasp, so I am extremely grateful.
And I so get the virgin thing. I'm a good as one these days.
A Canadian based in the Bay Area, I made these for a Canada Day party a few years ago. And still have the Bird's Custard Powder in the larder to prove it. Best as a sweet break in a day of skiing, they are, as you've said, ever so rich. But tasty enough. Cold weather food. Glad your Canadian culinary education is getting there. Do tortière, rapi pie, pouding chōmeur, beavertails await? Nice piece. During this time especially, we Canadians appreciate interest and small gestures of solidarity from our longtime neighbors.
Every time my former piano teacher makes tourtière, it's gone before I can get to it. Maybe THIS holiday season, I'll finally manage it.
And I am always interested in Canadians.
I’ve not had these bars, either! But let’s talk about that SCTV video. My goodness they all look like babies! Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis, and John Candy, but I don’t know the fourth and fifth guys.
The gentleman with the "N" on his sweater is Joe Flaherty, and the guy with the "A" is Dave Thomas. Every single one of them was/is delightful.
I love Canadians and I love this piece!
And you know what? You aren't the last, so no need to feel slow to develop. I summoned my personal physician as soon as I finished reading the piece, and he assured me that my Nanaimo bar hymen remains intact. Which is kinda surprising, given my fondness for riding horseback and Anne Murray.
"Nanaimo bar hymen."
Gonna leave it to you, my friend, to decide whether "riding" modifies only "horseback" or both "horseback" and "Anne Murray."
I had my first Nanaimo Bar in Nanaimo about 20 years ago despite having a Canadian nephew. He however is Quebecois and does not do Anglo. His family dessert is a Tarte au Sucre.
I have to admit that there's something about the Quebecois orneriness that I love.
And there is something even more ornery about the Anglophones who continue to live there.
Hahaha. Totally.
Wait, Bloody Caesar? I . . I could swear I remember Bloody Marys with clam juice, in the deepest South - though not that bar. Sounds richly delicious.
The Bloody Caesar is exactly as old as I am and created (I think) in Alberta!
When I was a waiter and on the extremely rare occasion someone ordered one, I always asked, “Where in Canada are you from?”
I am definitely not up on Canadian cuisine, as I have not heard of this. Intriguing.. Do you know what makes the Bird's custard different from other custards?
It was the first eggless custard powder (from the 1830s). Mr. Bird invented it because his wife was allergic to eggs and she loved custard. So, not only is it the first, it's the one with the sweetest back story.
Cute back story aside, that Bird's powder is one of the most vile things I've ever tasted.
I had an Anglophile client who went gaga when I made her British dishes, and I actually got rather fond of their downmarket homey desserts like Sticky Toffee Pudding, Bakewell tarts, and Banoffee Pie. Since custard is one of the easiest things in the world to make, it never occurred to me to use a mix, but it popped up so often in recipes I felt obliged to try it. It's horrible. Thin, slightly bitter, and the opposite of the kind of richness you want a comfort food bring to bring with it.
And yet, when most British people think "custard" they think "custard powder."
There are foods from my childhood that I still love which would likely horrify everyone else. I Just keep quiet about them more or less.
I don't mind Bird's Custard Powder at all. I made a non-Nanaimo batch the other night and I agree that it was too thin (I didn't find it bitter though). I just added more powder, a little extra sugar, and a splash of vanilla extract. It suited my needs, but it will never replace a proper egg yolky custard in my book either.
But it's great when I'm low on energy, which is often these days!
---There are foods from my childhood that I still love which would likely horrify everyone else. I Just keep quiet about them more or less. ----
Oh sure. We all have those. My big one is fish sticks with ketchup. Still love 'em occasionally.
I'd love to hear what yours are.
But my childhood food fetishes aren't components of a recipe that is allegedly going to create a "good" dish.
I feel like everyone--especially on a sad day like today--should take what little comfort they can find, wherever they can find it.
I love that.